a certayne displeasure against our selues and sorow for hauing so much offended the diuine maiesty as we haue declared in the second Chapter 3. We must conceyue a firme purpose of amendment for the tyme to come and of falling no more into syn and of shuning the occasions and dangers of syn 4. He that after examination of his conscience forgetteth in confession any mortall syn or he who is not sufficiently penitent for his faults or hath not a true desire to lyue better to abstayne from the vice or syn wherunto he findeth himselfe inclined is not wel disposed to receyue absolution of his syns and therfore the next tyme he commeth to confession he must reiterate such a confession that was defectiue in one of the three things aforesaid and moreouer declare and manifest to his ghostly Father that wherein he was faulty in his former confession because such a willfull fault is a mortall syn Hauing made choice of a vertuous prudent expert ghostly Father he must come vnto him with a right intention that is to be absolued from his syns and with a desire to manifest his whole conscience vnto him And further with great reuerence humility considering that as a malefactour he preseÌ„teth himselfe to his Iudge and to him who is our Lords Vicar on earth And aboue all he must come with great contrition for if he go only because it is expected or of custome he shall still continue in the same imperfections and in great daunger to be abandoned and forsaken of God During his confession being vpon his knees it is very good before he begin to make the signe of the Crosse crauing help of God to make a good confession and then to aske the Priests benediction saying Benedic Pater and then to say the Confiteor vntil he come to mea culpa It wil be good also in the beginning to declare the tyme when he was last at confession and if he hath forgotten or concealed any syn in the confession he made before and if he neglected to do the pennaunce enioyned him by his ghostly Father and then to prosecute his confession and to accuse himselfe of his syns To make this confession good and auaylable three things must concurre to wit Integrity fidelity and Obedience I will declare them To make an entiere confession a man must first manifest al his syns committed since his last confession lawfully made without concealing wittingly any mortall syn not only when he is assured it is such but also when he doubteth of it 2. He must declare them in particuler and euery one in it own kind in so much as it shoud not be inough for him to say I haue been luxurious I haue doen iniury to my neighbour c. but that he must specify euery particuler euery circumstance belonging therto 3. He must declare how often he hath committed euery mortall syn as neere as he may ghesse If he cannot â—ell the certaine number or neere vnto it he must tell how long tyme he hath perseuered in such a syn 4. He must also specify all other necessary circumstances to the end the quality of euery syn may be throughly known to his ghostly Father For he that by occasion of any confusion shame or such like respect maketh not an entiere confession according to the manner declared is not absolued before God and more then that he committeth a mortall syn which is called the syn of sacrilege because he committeth a great irreuerence against the Sacrament instituted by our Sauiour in so much as he is bound to reiterate such a confession and to make a repetion of all the same mortall syns that he then confessed and withall to declare in particular the syn of sacriledge that he formerly committed therein To confesse faythfully and sincerely he must first manifest his syns without dissimulation or hypocrisy wiâ—hout lying without making them greater then they be or extenuating making them lesse then they be and without excusing his syn contrary to the truth and without colouring it by fayre language or obscure words 2. He must take heede he confesse not his syns conditionally saying If I haue stolne c. I aske pardon for such a confession auayleth nothing but he must confesse absolutely vnles it be doubtful whether he hath committed such a syn for he must confesse that which is certaine as certaine and that which is doubtfull as doubtfull That the confession may be Obedient the penitent must be ready to do all that which his Ghostly Father shall commaunde him with reason touching the good of his soule in so much as he ought to be ready 1. To accomplish and do the pennance enioyned him for his syns 2. To restore the goods of another which he hath gotten vniustly or the good name of his neighbour which he hath spoyled him of and taken from him by detraction as his Ghostly Father shall eyther aduise or direct him For the syn is not pardoned if what hath beene taken away be not restored as S. Augustine sayth 3. To satisfy and recompense domage and hurt that he hath done to any one 4. To reconcile himselfe to his enemy whome he hath wronged and from his hart to pardon and forgiue him who hath done him any iniury 5. To forbeare and shunne all occasions and dangers of syn for the time to come 6. To practise the remedyes against syn in manner as he shall be aduised to do After confession of his syns for conclusion it will be good to adioyne these words For all these my syns and others that I haue committed which I now remember not I humbly craue pardon penance and absolution c. Ideo precor c. This done he must giue attentiue eare to â—he good lesson and instruction his Ghostly Father shall giue him with an intention and desire to make vse thereof After Confession and Absolution the penitent must go aside 1. Giue Gods thanks for that it hath pleased his diuine Maiesty to pardon him all his syns by meanâ— of Sacramentall absolution and further to tender him thanks for all the good that he hath gotten by the remission of his syns 2. With deuotion to performe the pennance that his Ghostly Father enioyned him without differing of it if he may then do it 3. To renew the good purpose that he had made before and to aske grace of God for wel doing therof The causes that ought to induce vs to true repentance for our syns CHAP. XI FOR that without repentance for our syns it is impossible to receaue pardon for them it is expedient to know the principal motyues that ought to induce vs and to stir vp a perfect sorrow compunction for our syns especially if the same be mortall And to this purpose it will be good to consider 1. That by them we are depriued of many soueraign goods as of the grace of God which far surpasseth all the treasures and goods of this world Againe
34. The V. Exercise VVherein is deliuered how we may be coÌ„founded by the ConteÌ„plation of Celestiall things pag. 90. A SHORT RVLE How to liue well The VI. Exercise Of the things that man is to know for the sauing of his soule Chap. I. pag. 108. Of the End of man Cap. II. pag. 109. Of the meanes to come to our End Chap. III. pag. 110. Of the manner how to practise the aforesaid meanes Cap. IIII. pag. 114. The former part of this Rule The VII Exercise VVhat we should do in the Morning Chap. I. pag. 116. VVhat we are to do at Night Chap. II. pag. 118. VVhat it is meete for vs to do in the day tyme. Chap. III. pag. 120. How we may be present with deuotion at Masse Chap. IIII. pag. 123. How to pray well Chap. V. pag. 127. Remedyes against distractions Chap. VI. pag. 130. How to heare the word of God with profit Chap. VII pag. 133. How we must read Spirituall Books Chap. VIII pag. 135. The manner of examining our Conscience Chap. IX pag. 138. How to make a good Confession Chap. X. pag. 141. The causes that ought to induce vs to true repentance for our syns Chap. XI pag. 115. The causes for which it is very good most expedient to go often to Confession Chap. XII pag. 154. Of the necessity and vtility of a General ConfessioÌ„ Cap. XIII pag. 157. How to communicate with fruit Chap. XIIII pag. 161. The causes that ought to induce vs to the frequent receyuing of this Sacrament Chap. XV. pag. 166. Remedyes for the auoyding of syns and resisting of tentations Chap. XVI The manner how to possesse our selues of some solid Vertue Chap. XVII pag. 173. The second Part of this Rule The VIII Exercise VVhat we are to do in behalfe of God Cap. I. pag. 176. VVhat we are to do in behalfe of the Saints and namely of the B. Virgin Chap. II. pâ—g pag 178. How we are to cary our selues towards our good Angel Cap. III. pag. 180. VVhat our Good Angell doth towards vs. Chap. IIII. pag. 182. How we ought to carry our selues towards our selues Cap. V. pag. 184. How we must carry our selues towards our Neighbour Cap. VI. pag. 186. How we must carry our selues towards our Superiors Cap. VII pag. 189. Pious meditations vpon the Beadâ— p. 193. THE PRACTISE OF CHRISTIAN WORKES THE PREFACE THREE thinges there be wherein it is good to exercise the mind that the workes therof may deserue to ascend to the sight presence of Gods Maiesty And these be First that we confouÌ„d our selus in euery thing Secondly that we giue God thanks Thirdly that we craue and aske something at Gods handes And though a man may indeed exercise these three in all thinges yet I meane to accomodate them to such thinges only which we haue to do dayly And by these you may easily vnderstand how to doe in other thinges and therefore to begin with your first workes in the morning exercise your selfe as followeth THE I. EXERCISE Confusion 1. VVHEN you put on your clothes be you confounded that you cloath your selfe when as Christ was stripped and left naked vpon the Crosse for your sake 2. Thankesgiuing Giue him thankes for that he hath put on our humanity for vs whome he knew would be most vngratefull for so soueraigne a benefit and for that he hath clad vs with the Garment of grace which we haue so often rent in sunder 3. Petition Aske craue of him that when putting on your cloaths you cloath the naked this worke of mercy may be pleasing vnto him and beseech him to grant you the same by the ignominy of that garment which Herod commanded to be put vpon his backe 1. Confusion When you go to Church to heare masse be confounded for that your selfe being imperfect you goe to the Church to prayse God whome the Angells that are perfect do praise continually 2. Thâ—â—kesgiuing Giue God thankes that though you haue gone out of his house so often carryed away by sinnes yet he still calleth you home againe and standeth knocking at your dore 3. Petition Aske by that charity wherwith the most Blessed Virgin presented her Sonne in the Temple you may deserue to be presented to God and to be made the Temple of the Holy Ghost 1. When you pray consider the multitude of your sinnes say with the Publican Lord be mercifull to me a sinner 2. Thanke God for that Christ hath prayed for you and hath obtayned that you may be heard when you pray 3. Craue that by the prayer which he made in the desert for sinners he wil vouchsafe to graÌ„t you those gifts which he willed vs to aske in the Pater Noster and you shall say it ouer once 1. When you heare Masse be coÌ„founded for that you haue prepared your selfe negligently vnto it in presenting your selfe before God in Masse and for that the very continuance and long vse of this benefit which should haue profited you much towards the great esteeming thereof for it is a signe of Christs most high charity hath made you negligent and so ingratefull 2. Thanke him for that he maketh you an Angell if you confesse him whome you adore with a liuely fayth sith it apertaineth to Angells to be assistant to God and to praise him without ceasing 3. Craue that by that sacrifice whereof this is a testimony he may imparte vnto you the merits of his bloud and by the vertue of this sacrifice graunt you that aboundance of teares wherby to wash away your sins and cause you to rise againe with Christ 1. When you sit at the table be confounded for eating of his bread to whome you haue beene so false vnfaithfull and ingrate 2. Thanke him for this that though you haue hitherto beene and still are an enemy to him yet he hath nourished and intertayned you 3. Craue of him that by that loue wherewith he filled great numbers of people with a few loaues in the desert he will vouchafe to feed you euery day with the bread of his grace 1. In busines that concernes our owne profit or our neighbours we must be confounded for that God pleaseth to take vpon him our our neighbours causes who haue beene an occasion of hurt to our selues and to our neighbours especially sith it is a matter of so great moment to haue a care of our neighbours good and profit in so much as Christ for that cause came into the world that he might take vpon him our our neighbours cause 2. We must thanke him for that whereas he needed not such busines at all yet the same are as pleasing vnto him as though he stood in need of them 3. We must craue that by that charity wherwith he sayd I must be in those tâ—inges that be my Fathers he will grant vs to be euer occupied in those thinges that appertayne to his honour and glory 1. When you suppe be confounded for your negligences coÌ„mitted that day
for him to thinke of himselfe who knoweth himselfe to haue committed so many and so grieuous sinnes And verily he that apprehendeth these thinges at the hart ought to go as far beyond them if he be able in confounding himself as he goeth beyond them in sinnes And if you consider them who are in Limbo and with how great mercy God hath deliuered you from many dangers that are wont to happen and brought you at length to the grace of baptisme that you might not fall into that misery there is in truth great cause why you should lament your so great ingratitude and wash it away with teares and so much the more for that they who are in Limbo neuer committed any mortall sinne and you as often as you haue cōmitted it so often haue deserued hell And if they for a lesse sinne are thrust down into a deep place or dungeon with what face dare you liue vpon earth who haue so often offended God most grieuously And with what eyes dare you contemplate the vision of God whereof they are for a far lesse fault depriued And if you consider these thinges aright you will not dare I know to behould them who are in Limbo with attentiue eyes while you compare your owne sinnes with theirs But the consideration of them who are in Purgatory ought to confound vs so much the more for that they though now in a safe place and deliuered out of so great euills of the world certaine also not to offend God any more and gotten into an harbour be neuertheles in paynes but we are both turmoyled in stormes and vncertaine of our saluation and what shall become of vs at last liuing among most crafty and most cruell enemyes and continuall dangers And if any be confounded the lesse for that he vnderstandeth that they are punished deseruedly for their sinnes Let him so thinke that some are peraduenture there tormented by occasion of his either example or bad counsaile or scandall or negligence drawne into sinne that many are detayned held there the longer for want of his help by prayers and other suffrages And let this consideration confound him whosoeuer he be for that he hath beene an occasion vnto them of their suffering and paynes and hath giuen them no help or little at all towards their ease and releasement and let him thinke that their owne faults and his be the cause that he knoweth not whether they are to be purged with the fire of Purgatory alone THE IIII. EXERCISE Wherein is declared how we ought to confound our selues by the consideratiō of those thinges that we see vpon Earth IF in comparison of those who are guilty we be found more guilty what shal we I pray you appeare to be before the things that be not hurtfull at al For if the consideration of those who haue sinned doth greatly abate and quaile our pride how much more ought the remembrance of those thinges humble vs which haue neuer yet in any thing swarued from their Creatours Commandment The poore Creatures of the Earth I meane which hauing but a sensitiue life do exceedingly condēne our disobedience Ingratitude and negligence For the earth which produceth and bringeth forth fruit doth reprehend vs who are altogeather vnfruitfull and barraine And how much doth the water whiles it ouerfloweth and watreth the meadowes quencheth the thirst and doth those thinges for which God hath giuen it for the vse of men condemne those who deny it their Creatour when they omit to giue it vnto a poore begger crauing it in his name How doth the fire whiles it maketh the flesh sweet and sauory censure the cruelty of those who vnmercifully handle the flesh of their neighbour How much doth the Ayre which continually intertayneth our life vpraid vs of our negligēce in the seruice of God whome but this one thing alone bindeth vs by a most strait band to serue God And how much ought the rocks which were rent though insensible in the passion of Christ to confound our hardnes and inciuility Hony is sweet to the tast but we are most bitter to God The smell of flowers is pleasant but how great is the stench of our sinnes The plants grow and raise themselues vpwards but man whiles he pursueth base contemptible things doth abase himself euery day more more And how much better for him were it to imitate euen the trees heerein which the more rootes they take and the deeper they grow in the ground the more vertue do they draw from them to the bowes for so a man if he should take deep roote of Humility would make a great increase of vertues And whome would not the seruices of the brute beasts moue especially seeing they do it to them who by their sinnes haue made themselus like vnto beasts And how much more worthy is he who handleth them ill or he who is handled ill Or who would not by good right meruaile that these beasts be obedient to them who yet are rebellious to the will of God The silly sheep cloatheth you with his skinne and with his fleece and nourisheth you with his flesh and when as you should vse them to the honour of God you abuse these and other the benefits of God and while you seeke a thousand wayes to satisfy your concupiscence you iniury both God and his creatures The beasts carry men vpon their backes and ease them wearied of their labour and therein they diligently obey their Creatour who hath made them for that end but you on the other side do either thinke vpon or seeke after nothing lesse then your owne end whose part it were to allow God some rest if I may so say sith you receaue so much comfort and ease by his creatures in your labour and paynes We must not indeed thinke that God needeth any rest sith he is the supreme felicity of himselfe and of all thinges els yet such is his benignity as he would be thought to rest in the minds of the iust sith as he sayth It is his delight to be with the children of men though of them he also doth not without cause complaine in these words I haue laboured sustayning O how great a confusion ought this word to worke in vs since by our works we occasion to God this payne and trauaile who ought to haue beene to him the cause of quiet and rest And therfore it was not sayd of the brute beastes but of men I repent my selfe to haue made man Let this o dust and ashes humble thee let this draw tears from thyne eyes and this especially whē thou findest that a creature by the seruice done thee causeth thee rest ease and yet thou dost not thy selfe the like towards God And when thou giuest thy beast meate thinke thus how much more meet it is that thou serue them then they thee sith they haue neuer beene rebellious or ingratefull to God as thou hast euer beene and still art Let the wisedome of
for there is nothing in this world so precious as the tyme that God hath giuen vs as S. Bernard sayth for foure respects to wit to obtayne pardon for our transgressions to do penance and satisfy the payn that is due to our syns to procure and increase Gods grace and to merit eternal glory 2. When we are to begin any worke that we offer it to God adressing it to his honour and crauing his grace to begin it well 3. Oftentimes to renewe the good purposes we made in the morning sith such renewing thereof causeth vs to stand more vpon our guard and to be more present to our selues And if we find that we haue fayled in the execution thereof to be sory therfore and craue new help of God that we may do better for the rest of the day to come 4. Oftentymes also to lift vp our mindes to God and consider that he is euer present with vs beholding and obseruing all our thoughts desires intentions words and actions And this recollection may be practised euery tyme we heare the clocke strike And then also it would be good to blesse our selues for so doing we do three things 1. We inuoke Gods assistance in all things which we intend to do the making of the signe of the Crosse is a prayer 2. We deuote our selues to God and we offer him our works for that this signe is an act of oblation 3 We arme our selues against the assaults of our capitall enemy for this signe of the Crosse is a kind of exorcisme against the Diuell himselfe and whatsoeuer other euill also How we may be present with deuotion at Masse CHAP. IIII. IT is a thing both most commendable and profitable to heare masse euery day synce the fruits that we reape thereby be many and great for as much as by that oblation the merits of our Sauiours passion be applied vnto vs. Thereby also we receiue the remission of our veniall syns pardon of part of the paynes that we haue deserued for them We obtayne many graces fauours and great strength for the resisting of tentations and good successe in our affaires and actions both spirituall and temporall when it is expedient and for our good And more then this we are oftentymes preserued frō daungers and misshaps that might haue befallen vs if we had not heard masse that day Wherefore for the obtayning of these so excellent fruits we must seeke to put these foure things in practise 1. We must exercise fayth by considering that in Masse is represented as in a Theater the life passion of our Sauiour beleeuing assuredly the same to be a true sacrifice wherein the body bloud of our Blessed Sauiour is cōsecrated immolated to God the Father that it is the sacrifice which Iesus Christ made of himselfe vpon the tree of the Crosse but yet with this difference that vpon the Crosse it was bloudy in it own forme and in masse it is vnbloudy vnder the kindes of bread and wyne 2. We must heare Masse with great reuerence and deuotion both inward and outward obseruing what is said and done both by the words and actions for in masse be represented sundry mysteryes of our fayth 3. We must together with the Priest offer vnto God the holy sacrifice of the masse for the very same intention which he offered it to the diuine maiesty As namely 1. For the due honouring of God 2. For the rendring him thanks 3. For the cancelling of our syns 4. For the obtayning of graces benefits of God And euery tyme that we present vnto him this oblation we merit much and it is of singular effect And we present him also with a thing most acceptable to his diuine maiesty for as much as he who is offred and sacrificed to God the Father is the person of Iesus Christ his only Sonne We must also communicate spiritually at what tyme the priest receyueth sacramentally The manner to do it is this We must meditate some thing or other touching the Blessed Sacrament of the Altar before the Priest be to communicate and make petition to our Lord that he would please to graunt spirituall refection vnto our soule and to make it partaker of the wonderfull effects of this holy Sacrament We must also put on a great desire of vniting our selues with God by that spirituall communion and we must stir vp the very same affections that we would do when we receyue it sacramentally and really How to pray well CHAP. V. TO pray well and deuoutly we must practise somthings before we begin to pray somthings also in tyme of prayer Before we begin to pray it is good first to blesse our selues for by so doing we inuoke Gods help we offer vnto him our prayers we arme our selues against distractions and against the assaults of the enemy 2. We are to consider for whome and for what cause we haue a desire to pray which must be both good and conforme to the will of God 3. We must stir vp a desire to pray both attentiuely and deuoutly 4. We must craue grace to pray well and recommend our selues to our Angell Guardian Whiles our prayer continueth we must endeauour to pray 1. With a true fayth belieuing in God that he will help vs and that he heareth and vnderstandeth our prayers 2. With hope trusting that we shall be heard if we pray as we should 3. With charity and being in the grace of God or at least with true sorrow repentance for our syns 4. With humility and reuerence as being in the presence of God with whome we treate 5. With attention banishing from our mynds all extrauagant and wandring thoughts And our attention may be directed to one of these foure things eyther to the words of our prayer or to the sense and meaning signified by the words or to him to whome we addresse our prayers or to the thing we craue for our selues or for another 6. With feruour and a deuout affection shaking off all drowsines of mind To this feruour and deuotion the consideration of the fruites that redound of prayer being accompanyed with the qualityes aforesaid may incite vs. And there be foure principal that are drawn from such prayer For by meanes of it we merit 1. an increase of diuine graces and vertues 2. we satisfy and pay a part of the debt we owe for our syns 3 we obtayne of God that which we aske 4. we receyue spirituall comfort Remedyes against distractions CHAP. VI. BECAVSE distractions much trouble vs in tyme of prayer and do very often depriue vs of al the fruits aforesaid it is to good purpose to vnderstand the remedyes for the diuerting therof and putting them away Therfore that distraction may haue no place in vs the first remedy is that we diligently prepare our selues to prayer according to that we mentioned in the fift Chapter before The second is to thinke in whose presence we are and with whome we
by them we are depriued of many veâ—tues and gifts of the holy Ghost without which we are and remayne as did Sampson in the hands of the Philistians when he had lost his strength We are further spoyled of all the meritts which we had formerly gotten by our good works and of the fruit of theÌ„ which we do in state syn Finally we are made incapable and vnworthy of eternall felicity hauing lost all the right that we had thereunto 2. To consider that we haue incurred many euills for by syn we are become the enemyes of God yea the slaues and very receptacle of the Diuell and to be short we merit euerlasting damnation 3. The chiefest motiue that ought to induce vs to great sorow for our syns is for that we haue offended the diuine maiesty by our disobedience ingratitude and contempt of him and for that by our syn we haue exceedingly iniured him by louing some transitory good and some pleasure of the body or some creature more then our Creatour and soueraigne Lord and by preferring our owne will and bad desire before the will and pleasure of God therein imitating the Iewes who preferred Barabbas before our Sauiour The causes for which it is very good and most expedient to go often to ConfessioÌ„ CHAP. XII HE that loueth his owne soule expecteth not the tyme of commaundment or the absolute necessity of going to confession but he confesseth often when there is not any commaundment imposed vpon him that he may gaine and reape the most excellent fruits that be gathered in frequenting this Holy Sacrament For in often confessing a man 1. purchaseth a great peace repose and quiet of conscience 2. He euery tyme obtayneth great prouision store and increase of vertues 3. The good works that were mortified and made vnprofitable by mortall syn returne to their worth and become meritorious againe 4. He is made participant of all our Sauiours meritts and of all the good works of the iust and faythfull Christians whereof he was depriued by mortall syn 5. Euery tyme that he confesseth he recâ—iueth great force and strength for the resisting and encountring of his enemyes and against all their tentations 6. He satisfieth a part of the payne which after remission of the fault remayneth behind due to be payed eyther in this world or in Purgatory And what wise man who considereth all these priuiledges that arise of frequent Confession wil not be greatly incited to go often therunto for the often gayning and reaping of so excellent fruits If a man were sicke in body if he had receyued any mortall and deadly wound would he expect any long tyme to thinke vpon the curing of himselfe Or would he not rather with all possible speed seek a Phisitian or Surgeon for his cure for feare of a temporall death And his soule beeing sick and daungerously wounded by syn should he so far neglect his saluation as to put it of from day to day from weeke to weeke from moneth to moneth from quarter to quarter c. and so hazard to incurre death for all eternity Of the great necessity and vtility of a Generall Confession CHAP. XIII I call it a Generall Confession when a man confesseth all his syns especially the mortall that he hath committed in all his life or those of a long tyme before as far as he can remember and call to mind whether he hath confessed them before or not This manner of Confession is very profitable and sometymes also altogether necessary in matter of mortall syn when in confession some condition or other necessary is wanting eyther on the part of the Confessour or on the part of the penitent And this may happen in diuerse manners 1. When one hath made his confession to a priest that had not lawfull auctority to absolue or for that he was not approued of the Bishop or for some other cause 2. When one hath confessed without being penitent and sorowfull for his syns 3. When he had not a purpose of amendment and abstayning from some synne or when he wanted a will to forgiue another who had offended him or of restoring that to which he was bound 4. When some confession made before was not entiere eyther for wittingly vpon a certain bashfulnes concealing some mortall syn or for some other vnlawfull cause or for hauing forgotten to confesse some mortall syn because he had not examined his conscience before 5. When before absolution he had a wil not to accept of it or not to fulfill the pennance enioyned him by his ghostly Father Lo the principall causes for which it often hapneth that a generall Confession is necessary for that the Confession made before with any one of the foresaid defects was not sufficient to obtayn the remission of our syns And all the coÌ„fessions made after that were vnprofitable in so much as it behooueth him againe to confesse all the mortall syns that he had manifested in that Confession and all the other that followed and to declare the cause and the fault for which he maketh a Generall Confession And though a generall confession be not to some necessary because they neuer made default in making their Confession yet it much profiteth them for diuers reasons 1. For by confessing al their syns together of many moneths or yeares a man conceyueth greater sorrow for his syns and confusion of himselfe and consequently he obtayneth greater grace and satisfieth more of the payne due to his syns 2. He is much incited to the loue of God in considering his great benignity and mercy by which he hath supported and borne with him so patiently without punishing him for so many syns committed by him 3. By considering the multitude of his syns heaped and put together he is moued to do good works for the satisfying thereof 4. He obtayneth greater assurance and repose of conscience and spirituall ioy for he who hath made a generall confession may probably perswade himselfe that his soule is in good estate How to communicate with fruit CHAP. XIIII HE that desireth to receyue the Blessed Sacrament of the Altar with fruite and spirituall profit must haue 1. A firme fayth belieuing vndoubtedly that Iesus Christ is really and truly in the holy Sacrament and that in the Communion he receyueth the true body of our Sauiour who is true man the same who was borne of the most sacred Virgin Mary who endured death for vs and is one day to iudge both the lyuing and the dead 2 He must haue Purity of hart without hauing his conscience defiled with any mortall syn that maketh a man vtterly vnworthy of the participation of this Sacrament and also in presuming to come thereunto in such bad state he should commit a syn of sacriledge 3. He must haue a right intention intending to receyue the Sacrament for the attayning of increase of Gods grace to obtaine some particular vertue whereof he most standeth in neede to arme and strengthen himselfe the more against
the tentations of his enemyes to vnite himselfe more inwardly with God by that band of loue For the receyuing of this Blessed Sacrament serueth vs for the obtayning of all these heauenly graces and many more the like 4. He must receyue with great deuotion And that he may so do he must endeauour to come to the Sacrament 1. With great humility reuerence considering his owne vnworthines misery and necessity and the supreme Maiesty of him whome he is to receyue into his soule 2. To consider the causes for which this holy Sacrament was instituted and the great charity of our Sauiour wherewith he vouchsafed to communicate himselfe to his creatures and to giue himselfe in foode nutryment to our soules To consider also the great fruits that arâ— receyued in this holy banquet because this spirituall food produceth the same effects in our soule that doth materiall meate in our bodyes though after a manner much more excellent 3. To communicate with a spirituall hunger and feruent desire to feede and fill his soule with this heaueÌ„ly meate with prayers and petitions full of affection and of loue to craue grace of God to communicate deuoutely and to receyue all the fruits of this holesome refection After receyuing he must giue thanks to God for pleasing to enter into the chamber of his soule there to make his aboade and to fill it with his grace and gifts of the holy Ghost 2. He must offer himselfe wholy to his Creatour who hath giuen and communicated himselfe so liberally vnto his Creatour 3. By short and as it were inculatory prayers he must treate familiarly with his Spouse represent vnto him his infirmityes and necessityes crauing what he standeth most in need of beseeching him to vouchsafe to make his continuall aboad with him to keep him in his grace The causes that ought to induce vs to the frequent receyuing of this Sacrament CHAP. XV. IF materiall meate be oftentymes necessary for our sustentation and nuriture of body we must not make any doubt but that the spirituall foode which is the sacred flesh of our Sauiour contayned in the holy sacrament of the Eucharist is also often as necessary for the entertayning and nourishing of our soule And if we regard not only the necessity but the good also which our soule receyueth by this heauenly food it is a thing truly very great for as much as by the often receyuing of this diuine meate First our soule is easily conserued and intertayned in Gods grace for that beeing often refreshed with this food grace is increased more and more in it 2. Euery tyme of receyuing it getteth wonderfull strength for the exercising of good works for the resisting of the tentations of our enemyes for preseruing it from syn and for patiently supporting and bearing al aduersityes of this present life 3. This food causeth a notable chaung of life in the person that was before subiect to many vices and imperfections 4. It augmenteth and increaseth in vs fayth hope charity deuotion al other vertues 5. It filleth and replenisheth the soule with a spirituall ioy and alacrity 6. It raceth out of our soule veniall syns and weakneth and lesseneth vicious inclinations concupiscence 7. It vniteth our soule with Iesus Christ For he who eateth my flesh sayth our Sauiour in S. Iohn Cap. 6. abideth in me and I in him If we with attention would ponder and consider all these so soueraigne fruits we should be much excited very often to refresh our soule with this so healthfull a meat If we giue euery day to our body to eate nourishing entertayning and strengthning therof is it not reason that our soule that hath also exceeding great need of nuriture and new strength should be entertayned with this heauenly food at least once a moneth Remedyes for the auoyding of syns and resisting of tentations CHAP. XVI MANY there be who find in themselues a desire to amend their lyfe and purpose no more to fall againe into syn which is so displeasing vnto God and so preiudiciall to their soules but they are not able to resist the tentations that assayle them in so much as notwithstanding their good desire and good purpose they fall againe and againe into their syns The principall cause whereof proceedeth of this for that they serue not themselues of the remedyes that be proper and effectuall for the resisting of tentation and syn and therefore I will here lay downe some few remedyes wherewith we may serue our turne at all tymes and especially when we find our selues inclined to syn 1. To consider the great priuiledges whereof syn spoyleth vs and the great euills and hurts it causeth vnto vs which you shall find declared in the XI Chapter before 2. To consider that we are contynually in the presence of God that in all places and at all tymes he seeth knoweth obserueth our thoughts and actions all which he will in the day of iudgment lay open and manifest to the whole world will giue sentence against vs by them And if you would imprint well this consideration in your mynd and apprehend it as you ought it will serue you for a spur to incite and to put you forward to vertue and for a bridle to pull in and represse your disordered appeties For how wil you be so hardy to commit that before God that you would not dare to do before meÌ„ 3. To consider that by resisting syn and tentation we receyue a great increase of grace and a great ioy spirituall consolation therewith 4. To make a firme purpose not to offend God and in particular not to commit such or such a syn and very often to renew the same purpose 5. To blesse your selfe with the signe of the Crosse and to craue help from God and the intercession of the Saints 6. To resist the beginnings of bad thoughts and to represse our passions and inordinate affections at the very first 7. To auoyd and fly the occasions that may make vs to fall into any syn as ydlenes ouer much talke curiosity to see and heare any thing that profiteth not Also to fly the places where God is easily offended the conuersation and company of disordred persons ouer much familiarity with any person For he who will not fly such like occasions exposeth himselfe to an euident daunger of falling into some syn or other And he sayth the VViseman Eccl. 3. who loueth daunger shall peâ—ish in it 8. To frequent the holy Sacraments of Confession the Eucharist 9. To exercise acts of vertue contrary to the vices whereunto we are tempted or most inclined as if we be tempted to gluttony to mortify our sensuality vse abstinence if we be sollicited to pride vaine glory to exercise some act of humility inward or outward by consideration of our owne frailty misery so other vertues The manner how to possesse our selues of some solid Vertue CHAP. XVII FOR the more easy